File-Sharing

Millions of files are shared everyday over the internet. It could be the latest hit song that recently came out, that new computer game you wanted, or any type of program you can put on a computer. All it takes is a few clicks and you could have these programs for free. You may have to use a Torrent site that could harm your computer but it’s worth the risk, than paying money for the programs. File sharing might seem like a great new concept, but is it? Organizations around the world are trying to ban this method of stealing. You are getting a product for free, without paying the intended price for it. Developers, Musicians, and many others are losing a lot of money because their things are being uploaded illegal to these torrent and file-sharing websites. In 2004 it was estimated that 70 million people have either downloaded or uploaded content from a file-sharing service. If you worked hard to develop something and put a lot of time into it, wouldn’t you enjoy getting as much profit as you can out of it? From these files being uploaded illegally some businesses have gained very little if any profit because the product is merely given away. To the users of Torrent Sites, file-sharing might be “legal”, but almost every file has a copyright. If you download a copyrighted item you are breaking the law and it can be punishable. You can also get spyware on your computer which can steal your personal information. This is also where a lot of identity theft occurs, is from the viruses you get from the corrupted software. Therefore you can be risking even more money from this threat if someone gets your bank info, that actually going out and buying the program or file yourself. I do not believe it should be banned all together. File-sharing services need to be monitored and if something has a copyright it be removed immediately because it is a form of stealing which should be taken seriously, not just overlooked.